Happy Happy New Year!!!

Today is not just a regular 24 hour and done kind of day.  Today is the type of day that changes everything.  At the stroke of midnight tonight we are magically transported in an invisible time machine that moves us forward into a brand new, unused, endless possibilities, NEW YEAR! 

I mean every new day also changes everything but somehow a new year...that movement not only in the hours of a day but moving into an entirely new year inspires us to start again.  Diet and exercise become doable (for at least a week until your muscles are killing you and you give up, hee hee), you set high goals for things to achieve in this year.

I am NOT anti-goal setting.  In fact I feel like it's necessary to set goals to move you forward in life.  I love the quote that says, "It's far better to shoot for the stars and miss than to aim for the gutter and hit."  It goes along with another of my favorite quotes, "Maddest of all is to see the world as it IS and not as it should be!"

So...have you got your star shooting goals lined up?  Ready, steady, shoot...don't those stars look interesting?  Isn't it delightful to experience that lack of gravity that space brings?  It's wonderful to aim, to reach, HIGH...HIGHER...HIGHEST!! 

I hear someone say, "Why?  I've done this before...set the goals and then not measured up.  Why try again?"  I've been in your position my discouraged friend.  I will tell you why...to repeat, "It's better to aim for the stars and miss then to aim for the gutter and hit."  Sometimes when you can't quite reach those highly set goals, just the stretch to achieve them is enough.  If you slip off the star (goal) you still are better for having made the reach. 

Here is my New Year's Resolution.  I resolve to aim high, and dream huge.  I also aim to forgive myself when I slip, stumble, or fall, and determine to NEVER GIVE UP!  It's OK to fail, but it's never OK to just quit!  So, you've fallen, scraped your knee or broken a bone.  Get up, get treated, and keep moving even if it's just an inch at a time.

Remember life ever so kindly gives us so many opportunities to start anew...new minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years.  Then add to that, Birthdays, Life ritual types of renewal (Bar or Bat Mitzvah,  Communion, Baptism, Fire Rituals, etc. etc.  Rituals of renewal give us more chances to grow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I hope that this New Year will truly bring you great joy.  I challenge you if the year is filled with sorrow and trial look hard.  Stretch to find those blessings that may seem eclipsed by sorrow.  They ARE there.  I promise that there is even joy to be found in the most awful of situations.  Prospero Ano, one and all, or in English Prosperous New Year!